From 93c9b8c2ef69b740ef5be7efae627a8f94b9bcdd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Devin Prater Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2021 21:31:45 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Begin work on installing Fedora and other pages for accessibility. --- .../after-installing-with-orca.adoc | 2 + .../installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc | 36 +++++++ .../installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc~ | 2 + .../accessibility/why-choose-fedora.adoc | 95 +++++++++++++++++++ 4 files changed, 135 insertions(+) create mode 100644 modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/after-installing-with-orca.adoc create mode 100644 modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc create mode 100644 modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc~ create mode 100644 modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/why-choose-fedora.adoc diff --git a/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/after-installing-with-orca.adoc b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/after-installing-with-orca.adoc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7bf0011 --- /dev/null +++ b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/after-installing-with-orca.adoc @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ += Getting Started After Installing with Orca + diff --git a/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f6438cd --- /dev/null +++ b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc @@ -0,0 +1,36 @@ += Installing Fedora with Orca + +Thanks for choosing to install Fedora. The first thing you'll need to +do is put an installer onto a removable disk, like a DVD or Flash +Drive. For maximum accessibility, choose Fedora's Mate spin, found at +https://spins.fedoraproject.org/mate-compiz/download/index.html(The +Fedora Mate download page). Follow a normal guide on flashing the +downloaded image to a flash drive or DVD, and prepare to restart the +computer to begin the installation. + +To install Fedora Mate, hereafter referred to as just "Fedora", you'll +need to start your computer with the installer's drive set as the +drive the computer starts from. Consult your computer's manual for how +to do this, but it is usually done by pressing the power button while +the computer is still turned off, then quickly pressing a key, like +F2, F8, F10, or F12, rapidly until the "boot manager" appears. + +You'll need either sighted assistance, or an app on a smart phone that +continuously reads text (like Seeing AI on the Apple App Store, or +Google Lookout from the Google Play store), in order to somewhat know +what's on the screen of this menu. If you have no other drives, local +or network, connected to the computer, you may be able to press Down +arrow or Right arrow several times to get to the last item of the +menu, which should be your external drive, and press Enter to boot +from it. + +Now, with the continuous text scanner still on, you'll be in a menu +for starting the installer. Pressing Enter should start it. Leave the +continuous text scanning on until you hear the current date. Now, you +can put down the phone; we won't need it anymore for the installation. + +Now, you are at the live installation screen, where you can enable +Orca, the screen reader. To do this, hold down the Alt key, the +Windows key (which in Linux is called the Super key), and press the S +key, releasing all keys afterwards. You'll hear "screen reader on", in +a robotic, British voice. diff --git a/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc~ b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc~ new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3be5901 --- /dev/null +++ b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/installing-fedora-with-orca.adoc~ @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ += Installing Fedora with Orca + diff --git a/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/why-choose-fedora.adoc b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/why-choose-fedora.adoc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b81ac88 --- /dev/null +++ b/modules/ROOT/pages/accessibility/why-choose-fedora.adoc @@ -0,0 +1,95 @@ += Why Choose Fedora Linux? + +As other, proprietary, computer operating systems (OS) decline in +accessibility, or fail to move forward on lofty promises, people with +disabilities may begin looking for an alternative, particularly as +computers that are more than three years old suddenly will not be +supported by an OS upgrade. Many people with disabilities do not have +a steady income, or cannot afford to spend the money they *do* have on +a new computer just to keep their system current, secure, and +future-proof. + +Linux is a great option for many people to give computers, old and +new, a much longer lifespan, with security based on Linux's years of +real-world usage, and many great packages. Linux comes in many +different "flavors," called "distributions." These distributions set +the ground rules for your system, and many exist for many different +types of people and situations. + +Linux distributions, however, aren't always friendly to people with +disabilities, particularly those that are blind or low-vision. From +live images, for installation of the system, that do not include a +screen reader, to desktop environments that are hard to use, Linux can +be a struggle to use, and even more of one to enjoy. + +There are currently +https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution[almost 1000] Linux +distributions in the world. Out of all of those, why should a person +with disabilities choose Fedora? What sets it apart from all other +distributions, including ones specifically *made* for people with disabilities? + +== Software is Current + +Most importantly, Fedora has current software. While other +distributions pride themselves on "stability," Fedora has an +up-to-date set of accessibility tools, like Orca, for screen reading, +and BRLTTY, for using Braille Displays. Each release of Fedora is +followed by a steady stream of updates, keeping your system current +and secure. This is especially important for screen reader users, as +the Orca screen reader must evolve to work with the changes in both +programs on the system and on the web. + +== Easy to Install + +Fedora's installer is easy to use, accessible, and the live Image +comes with the Orca screen reader ready to start. Users of Windows or +MacOS will feel familiar with Orca and the installer, as keyboard +commands are similar. There is no command line interface to worry +about, or set of exotic keyboard commands to memorize. + +== Learn and Improve + +Fedora, like other Linux distributions, allows you to learn as you use +the system. At first, you can do anything you need from a graphical +interface. Then, as you learn and experiment, you may find that some +processes you do, like daily work activities, are quicker to do in the +terminal. Then, you may combine those typed lines in the terminal into +a file for even easier automation. Afterwards, you may begin to learn +to write code, and eventually, contribute to projects that interest +you, or even improve your desktop environment or Fedora itself. Fedora +allows this, whereas other operating systems hold you back from +learning what makes them tick, and improving them for everyone. + +This is important for people with disabilities because it allows the +people who need the technology the most to not only use it, but learn +to control, fix, and improve it. No proprietary system would allow +that level of user-agency. + +== A Welcoming Community + +Fedora has a large and welcoming community. Whether you need help, or +want to help, the community is there. You can interact with them on +familiar Email lists or IRC. Distributions focused only on people with +disabilities often have very small communities, which means that +sometimes, new members don't get the help they need to stay on Linux, +since a smaller community means that no one may know the answer or fix +to a new member's problem. + +== Analogous Technology + +Below is a list of commonly used assistive technology on other +platforms, and its Linux equivalent. The Linux version may do roughly +the same functions as its counterparts, or do even more for the person +using it. + +JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack:: +https://help.gnome.org/users/orca/stable/[Orca] +Braille Display drivers:: https://brltty.app[BRLTTY, an entire screen +reader for Braille displays, which also works with Orca.] +Recognize inaccessible text on the screen:: +https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Ocrdesktop[OCR Desktop: an Arch +package that should be installable on Fedora] +DuxBerry or BrailleBlaster:: +https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/cups-filters[Cups filters has +drivers for Braille Embossers to be used like regular printers] +